PhD Position DC2 - GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences, Germany - Novel approaches for regiona[...]

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Zusammenfassung

A leading research institution in Potsdam offers a PhD position focused on flood hazard and risk assessment. The role involves developing models to improve the understanding of flood risks, particularly on transport infrastructure. Candidates should have a Master's degree in related fields and strong programming skills. The project includes collaboration with European partners and provides an immersive training experience.

Qualifikationen

• Master's degree required.
• Strong programming skills necessary.
• Knowledge of flood modelling necessary.

Aufgaben

• Integrate flood protection data into the Regional Flood Model.
• Assess flood hazards and risks.
• Collaborate with fellow PhDs and project partners.

Kenntnisse

Flood hazard and risk modelling

Programming in Fortran

Programming in Python

Programming in R

Interdisciplinary teamwork

Communication skills

Ausbildung

Master's degree in Hydrology, Environmental Sciences, Geoinformatics, Engineering or related fields

Jobbeschreibung

Organisation/Company GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences Research Field Environmental science Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Positions PhD Positions Country Germany Application Deadline 31 Oct 2025 - 23:59 (Europe/Berlin) Type of Contract Temporary Job Status Full-time Hours Per Week 40 Offer Starting Date 1 Apr 2026 Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme? Horizon Europe - MSCA Reference Number DC2 Marie Curie Grant Agreement Number 101225914 Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No

Offer Description

Ageing infrastructures, urbanization, and climate change are intensifying the vulnerability of critical infrastructures (CI), high-tech industries (HTI), and communities to cascading hazards, particularly NaTech (Natural Hazard Trig-gering Technological) events. REUNATECH is a Horizon Europe Marie Skłodowska-Curie Doctoral Network that aims to educate and train the new generation of Doctoral Candidates (DCs) capable of tackling these challenges through cutting-edge interdisciplinary research and innovation. REUNATECH brings together leading universities, research institutes, and industrial partners across Europe to deliver a world-class doctoral training programme in risk assessment, resilience engineering, and smart technologies.

Its scientific vision targets: (1) the development of a holistic multi-hazard risk framework capturing cascading effects across systems and scales; (2) the creation of digital environments utilizing real-time data for dynamic risk evaluation; (3) the advancement of risk-to-resilience methodologies; and (4) the establishment of digital twin-based resilience frameworks for CI, HTI, and urban environments.

The network emphasizes innovation through the development of a Virtual Training Environment (VTE) for disaster response simulation, integration of Building Information Modelling (BIM) with Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) using smart sensor networks, and resilience-informed design platforms. Furthermore, REUNATECH promotes trans-disciplinary collaboration via multi-stakeholder platforms, bridging academia, industry, and policy. Through its ho-listic, digital, and resilience-centered approach, REUNATECH supports the European Green Deal, Sendai Frame-work, and UN Sustainable Development Goals. DCs will benefit from an immersive training structure comprising cross-sectoral secondments, workshops, and summer schools, enhancing their expertise in NaTech risk and resilience and enabling their integration into European and international research and innovation landscapes.

Position Title: "Novel approaches for regional flood hazard and risk assessment with focus on infrastructure" (DC2)

Research Project: The PhD project DC2 aims at further development of the Regional Flood Model (RFM) for Germany by deriving and integrating detailed spatial information at the regional scale on flood protection structures (dikes, reservoirs etc.) across major river basins, enabling more accurate flood hazard and risk estimations for present and future cli-mates. The improved model chain consisting of a non-stationary weather generator, a rainfall-runoff model, coupled 1D-2D hydrodynamic models and a flood damage model will be deployed to simulate regional flood hazard and risks in Germany. A special focus will be put on the analysis of unprecedented flood scenarios and impact assessment on transport infrastructure.

Objectives

• Derive detailed spatial information on dikes, reservoirs, and other relevant flood protection infrastructure from high-resolution digital elevation models and open-access data and integrate this data into the Regional Flood Model (RFM) for Germany.
• Deploy the so-improved RFM for flood hazard and risk assessment in Germany with special focus on transport infrastructure and analyse unprecedented flood scenarios (‘worst-case’).

Duties and Responsibilities

• Derive detailed spatial information on flood protection structures and integrate it into the Regional Flood Model (RFM)
• Deploy RFM to assess flood hazard and risks considering flood protection structures with special focus on transport infrastructure
• Assess the impact of unprecedented flood scenarios
• Model development and data analyses includes writing well-documented, reusable code (Fortran, Python or R)
• Collaborate closely with fellow PhDs and project partners in an interdisciplinary context
• Present, publish and communicate research results at scientific meetings and in scholarly journals
• Undertake a PhD study at the University of Potsdam including teaching requirements and seminar participation
• Deliver according to the project timelines and university/department requirements

Where to apply

E-mail [e-mail]

Requirements

Research Field Environmental science Education Level Master Degree or equivalent

Skills/Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Hydrology, Environmental Sciences, Geoinformatics, Engineering or related fields
• Knowledge of flood hazard and risk modelling
• Strong programming skills in Fortran, Python, R
• Experience in processing remote-sensing information and machine learning is an asset
• Capacity for interdisciplinary teamwork and excellent communication and presentation skills
• Ability to communicate in English fluently; German language is helpful but not mandatory

Languages ENGLISH Level Good

Additional Information

Eligibility criteria

• The applicant must be a Doctoral Candidate (i.e. not already in possession of a doctoral degree at the date of the recruitment).
• At the time of recruitment, the researcher must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of their recruiting organization for more than 12 months in the three years immediately prior to the recruitment date. Compulsory national service and/or short stays such as holidays are not considered.

Selection process

The selection and recruitment process will be in accordance with the European Charter and Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers. The recruitment process will be open, transparent, impartial, equitable, and merit based. There will be no overt/covert discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation, religion or belief, disability or age. To this end, the following selection criteria will be considered:

• Academic performance (diplomas, university transcripts, etc.)
• Research and industrial experience
• Awards and fellowships
• Publications and patents
• Research, leadership, and creativity potential
• English knowledge
• Other relevant items based on the specific candidate.

The application deadline is 31st October 2025 23:59 CET. All applications will be analysed after the application deadline, and the shortlisted candidates will be invited to a teleconference interview. At the end of the selection process, all the applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application by return email.

DISCLAIMER

By applying for this position, the applicants:

• Give their consent to circulate their application and personal data within the members of the consortium.
• Declare to fulfil the eligibility requirements defined by above.
• Agree to spend an academic secondment of 3 months as well as an industrial secondment of another 3 months within the REUNATECH consortium as described.
• Agree that they will comply with the planned PhD enrolment.

HOW TO APPLY

Each application must include the following material:

• Curriculum vitae setting out the educational qualifications as well as any additional scientific achievements and publications. The CV must clearly indicate the applicant’s vitae name, surname, gender, date of birth, nationality, country of residence in the last three years).
• Evidence of English proficiency.
• Copy of Bachelor’s and Master’s certificates.
• Copy of Bachelor’s and Master’s transcripts.
• Any additional material useful for the assessment of the candidate (e.g., recommendation letters, research project/statement in agreement with the requirements specified in previous text). All material must be in-cluded in one compiled pdf file. The file should be named indicating the surname of the applicant and (in order of preference) the three preferred positions for which the applicant is applying, i.e. Surname_Position1_Position2_Position3.pdf (e.g. Surname_DC2_DC7_DC10).

Applications will be accepted via email only after 1st September 2025 for data protection reasons. The one compiled pdf file should be sent via mail to the following email address: [e-mail]

Note: Application sent before 1st September 2025 will not be considered.

Additional comments

The selected applicant will be enrolled into the Ph.D. program at the University of Potsdam, Institute of Environ-mental Science and Geography to conduct the planned research activities.

Academic secondment

DC2 will undertake a 3-month research secondment at an academic partner of the REUNATECH project. The planned host institution for this secondment is Denmark Technical University (DTU), Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.

DC2 will undertake a 3-month research secondment at an industrial partner of the REUNATECH project. The planned host institution for this secondment is Deutsche Rückversicherung, Düsseldorf, Germany.

Work Location(s)

Number of offers available 1 Company/Institute Section Hydrology, GFZ Helmholtz Centre for Geosciences Country Germany City Potsdam Postal Code 14473 Street Telegrafenberg Geofield